Third Generation of Schmit Brothers Bring New Sparkle to Ford Dealership

Two brothers who shared a room together growing up are now sharing an office that overlooks a massive remodeling project at the Schmit Bros. Ford Dealership in Saukville.

As the third generation of brothers to own the dealership, taking it into its 100th year of business, Co-owners Mike and Jim Schmit hope the project will revitalize the business for more successful years in the family.

The Schmit brothers picked up shovels and helped break ground Nov. 13 for the remodeling, which will include a 10,480 square foot showroom, as well as a quick lube and service delivery station.

Crews are working under a tight schedule to get the new building, located at 925 E. Green Bay Road, enclosed before winter weather arrives. Construction on the inside of the building will be completed during the winter months. The full remodeling is anticipated to be finished by March 1, 2012.

In the meantime, the dealership sits behind a regular curtain of construction dust, with construction also happening on Green Bay Road. But Mike said the timing will pay off in the end.

“We’re pretty fortunate in that we wanted to do (the remodeling) along with the road, so that you’ve got a whole new look to the place,” Mike said. “Everything is coming together like a perfect storm, which is really neat.”

Mike and Jim had planned on doing the remodeling about three years ago, but had to change plans when the economy took a downturn.

“Quite honestly that’s proved to our benefit,” Jim Schmit said. “Ford changed their whole design of what a Ford store should look like about a year and a half ago. So we’re going with that right now, and the new design. We’re really loving it.”

The new showroom floor will be able to hold nearly twice the amount of the latest models, depending on the size of the vehicle. The quick lube station will be its own entity, so that it can be open seven days a week.

“We’re thinking our convenience to the customers – our ability to be open longer hours, take care of more people – will be a benefit to everybody,” Mike said.

Change is not a new concept for the business, which started out in a completely different location than where it is today.

Mike and Jim's grandfather and great-uncle, Joe and Mike Schmit, first opened the dealership on Pier Street in downtown Port Washington in 1912.

In the 1930’s the second generation of brothers, Harry and Joseph, got into the business and bought it after WWII. In 1948, Harry and Joseph purchased a car dealership in Thiensville and ran both dealerships under the Schmit Bros. name from 1948 to 1961.

“In ’61 Uncle Harry had already moved to Thiensville and Dad stayed in Port. It was an easy way for each of them to have their own franchise,” Jim Schmit said. “So the original Schmidt Bros. stayed in Port Washington and Schmidt Ford-Mercury was formed in 1961.”

The third generation of brothers started to get involved in the late 1960’s, starting with Mike.

“I got out of school and it was the Vietnam War at the time, so you’re waiting around for the draft,” Mike said. “I went to work; my dad wouldn’t just let me loaf. He put me to work and then it just evolved from there.”

In the late 1970’s, Mike’s brother Jim got into the business and the brothers eventually bought the business in 1985.

In 2003, Schmit Bros. was the 17^th oldest family-owned dealership in the country, according to Ford.

Mike and Jim both agree that the company wouldn’t be able to make the changes they are doing today, if it wasn’t for the support of their customers over the years.

“It’s been a long process and we’re in our 100th year in business. That’s probably the key in putting it all together and coming together like this,” Mike said.

During the construction, all of the customers are being taken care of through the Dodge dealership next door. Schmit Bros. employees take the customer’s vehicle over to the service center, have it repaired and then send it back over to the Dodge dealership. That way the customers don’t have to drive through all of the construction on the property.

“The customers have been very understanding and we appreciate that very much,” Mike said. “We’ve got a good customer-owner base and some very loyal customers.”

The brothers both agree that one great thing about owning their own business is that no one is forcing them to retire anytime soon. Jim said he is happy to have reached this milestone with the family-owned business.

“We’re just proud to be able to see 100 years with it. I don’t foresee any significant ownership changes immediately, but nobody can tell the future,” he said.